Bad idea

That's my opinion of legislation that would eliminate birthright citizenship in the United States. Here is an article at Fox News.

Bill Would Eliminate Birthright Citizenship

LOS ANGELES — Birthright citizenship is the right in which babies born in the United States, even to parents in the country illegally, automatically become American citizens.

Critics call them anchor babies, and say the laws should be changed to prevent automatic citizenship that could, in the end, reward illegal immigrants.

"By granting the child citizenship, that child then is able, down the road, as he becomes an adult, to legally make the parents citizens of this country as well," said Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga.

Now, a bill sponsored by Deal is gaining support in Congress. It would deny automatic citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants.

"The idea that somebody could come here, five minutes later give birth and have a brand new United States citizen is simply something that most people in their gut feel is wrong," said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman at the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

"It would be just wrong for us to deny such a basic right to just this population," said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, or CHIRLA.

Critics of the plan also warn that denying birthright citizenship to illegal immigrants could result in a divided culture such as the one that was demonstrated so vividly in the recent wave of arsons and vandalism in France.

The 14th Amendment states, in part, that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the U.S." Backers of birthright policy say changing the way that clause is interpreted would be unconstitutional and un-American.

"It goes against a tradition of really integrating immigrants into our society in order to unify us as a nation, and what it actually does, it further marginalizes a whole community," Salas said.

Deal says supporters are missing the meaning of the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof," which he argues excludes anyone in the United States in violation of the law — like illegal immigrants.

"If you look at the original debate of that amendment in the Congress, it was obviously not intended to give carte blanche birthright citizenship to anyone who happened to be born on American soil," Deal said.

I'm no fan of illegal immigrants. Read here and here. However I do strongly believe in birthright citizenship. Freedom Folks says its not about excluding these children on the basis of their skin. I don't argue that, its punishing the children for the sins of their parents.

Most people don't know, but the US is a rare country that grants this. Most of the world does not. Including many countries in western Europe, Germany and France are two.

Why do we need to punish the child? Tell me, anyone come up with a good reason? For that is who we are punishing. This country was made of immigrants, and we still have a need for them. I believe in a sane immigration policy, stop illegals, don't punish those who legally want to come here etc. Enforce our laws, because our security is dependent on it.

A big problem is if we don't deport this child, but only not give them citizenship is we're creating a permanent underclass. The riots in France by Muslims, well they live in France but can't become citizens. The middle east, Palestinians are treated the same. No citizenship given to them. Granted the Arabs are using them as political pawns, but feeling of not belonging don't help either. You create a class of people who feel disenfranchised, you're asking for trouble in my humble opinion. Ending birthright citizenship will do that, it will take a generation for the trouble to start but it will. Lets not emulate other countries who do this wrongheaded policy.

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